Have you ever noticed that you want to do something with your hands when worried? Drawing, laying stones, creating mosaics, writing with a stick in the sand or building sand palaces, modelling with dough or clay, making collages, combining colours, making a doll from flowers, fabric or other materials, or even writing stories? To relieve tension, sometimes your body starts moving when you hear pleasant music.
When we are in a creative state, we calm down, we breathe steadily, our movements become precise – this is because we get fully committed to a process in which we feel safe and inspired. This process is fascinating and peaceful, because it is like a game in which we look for our symbols, which fill us with resources and new meanings. This is how children and adults let go of doubts and anxiety and simply create their own beauty.
“Often the hands will solve a mystery that the intellect has struggled with in vain” (Carl Jung)
One of the most effective ways to harmonise personality development is through art, which is used for therapeutic purposes in art therapy. The therapeutic effect of art therapy techniques is important in working with children and adults who are raising a child with a psychophysical developmental disorders. Parents’ emotional state is the key to normalising the child’s feelings, well-being and the sense of confidence.
The effectiveness of art therapy is confirmed by a plethora of literature on music therapy, art therapy, dance and motor therapy, bibliotherapy, sand therapy, puppet therapy, fairy tale and mask therapy, etc. The analysis of modern scientific work on the above problems shows the expediency of using these methods in the work of correctional teachers and special education psychologists. The introduction of art therapy methods into the psychological rehabilitation of a family raising a child with a complex disorder is considered one of the most effective areas of work.
The term “art therapy” was first coined in 1938 by the English physician and artist Adrian Hill, when describing work in sanatoriums with tuberculosis patients. He believed that thanks to human ability to create new images, this could distract a person from worrying about his or her physical disabilities and focus on what helped be free from suffering.
The main means of art therapy are those characterised by the types of art: drawing (fine arts therapy), game (play therapy), fairy tales (fairy tale therapy), sand (sand therapy), dolls (doll therapy), etc.
A significant “psychotherapeutic” effect can be achieved in creative activity, as it produces an atmosphere of emotional warmth, goodwill, empathy, recognition of values, feelings, experiences, and care. Working in a team creates a sense of psychological comfort, safety, joy, and success. The result is the mobilisation of the healing potential of the child’s emotional sphere and those around him or her.
In addition, art therapy performs a peculiar communicative task, because when doing elements of group art therapy, a child and his or her family learn to work and interact in a team, acquire the skills of proper communication, compassion, mutual understanding, mutual respect, and mutual support.
The use of various forms of artistic expression create conditions, in which everyone is successful in various activities and performs tasks independently. At the same time, there is a “situation of success” that translates into a sense of satisfaction, belief in one’s own strength, dignity and self-respect. Parents and children learn to verbalise emotional experiences and openness in communication.
Art therapy also helps achieve positive results in working with families raising a child with a complex disorder, including abnormalities of the emotional and volitional spheres. In these case artistic therapeutic activities help reduce anxiety, aggression, fear, shyness and hyperactivity. Therefore, it can be argued that the use of art therapy in psychological correction has a powerful potential in creating a psychologically comfortable educational environment, which, in turn, contributes to the harmonisation of personality development through the ability to express oneself.
In families raising a child with a psychophysical disorder and where art therapy practices were used, it was found that:
– art therapy helped to unearth the creative abilities and self-worth of the individual;
– the level of anxiety decreased and the emotional state stabilised;
– after using art therapy methods and techniques in the work with a group of parents over a certain time, it was found that relationships became more harmonious, mutual understanding between parents and children with SEN improved, and the mood and self-control of parents generally improved. This enabled specialists to work together fruitfully and improved emotional relationships between family members, which had a positive impact on the child and child’s feelings, encouraged to learn;
– gradual use of art therapy methods is effective in creating a harmoniously developed personality with a stable mental state, while eliminating irritation, despair, and rejection of the current situation.
FAQs:
– Are art therapy sessions suitable only for children?
– No! Art therapy is a universal method for all ages.
– Do I need to have special skills?
– No! Only your desire!
– Is there an evaluation of aesthetic value and beauty of the final products of art therapy?
– No! The most important thing is the creative process! But… reflecting on your creation (drawing, composition, sculpture) is a source of information about you, your problems and ways to overcome them. It is while reflecting on the result of creative process that the necessary solutions are found. The effect of “insight” is crucial in art therapy, and no psychologist can create it. You are the one who gets to know your inner world and draws conclusions.
– Looking at paintings, listening to music… is this also art therapy?
– Yes, this is a passive method of personal development.
– Is it possible to work online?
– Yes! The effectiveness of the work is not reduced.
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